In 1985, Libby Riddles made history by becoming the first woman to win the 1,100-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race. This brand-new edition of Riddles's timeless adventure story is complete with updated narrative details, sidebars on all aspects of the race, photographs, and all-new illustrations by beloved illustrator Shannon Cartwright. An inspiration to children and adults everywhere, this is a compelling first-hand account of the arctic storms, freezing temperatures, loyal sled dogs, and utter determination that defined Riddles's Iditarod victory. Gr. 2-5. New illustrations enliven this detailed account, first published in 1986, of Riddles' record-setting performance at the 1985 Iditarod. Riddles tells her own story: how she became interested in mushing, the training that prepared her for the event, and, finally, a day-by-day account of the extreme, grueling conditions during the race, covering over 1,000 miles of Alaska's roughest country. The text rambles in places, and the specifics of training may lose some readers. But Riddles' live-off-the-land lifestyle and unusual workout practices (chocolate and seal oil are her power foods) will intrigue young athletes and pioneer-wannabes, and her passion for her dogs and devotion to their care will draw animal lovers. Sporadic color photos mix with Cartwright's straightforward watercolors that show routes, gear, and action scenes on the trail. A welcome counterpart to Robert Blake's Akiak: A Tale from the Iditarod (1997). Gillian Engberg Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Libby Riddles  is the first woman to win the grueling 1,049-mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race. She currently lives in Homer, Alaska, and her Blazing Kennels has 28 sled dogs. After three summers in Juneau developing the number one rated “heli-mushing” tour, she is now one of the main Alaskan presenters for Princess Cruises, and enjoys being one of the leading representatives of her sport to the thousands of visitors every summer. Shannon Cartwright  has spent most of her Alaska years living in the bush. Cartwright has traveled all over the state working on a set-net site in Bristol Bay, driving horse-pack trips, guiding in the Alaska Range and Brooks Range, researching book projects, and traveling between her cabins by train, skis, snowmobiles, and horses. She expresses her love of Alaska through the 28 children's books she has illustrated, seven of which she has also written.